Your Ultimate Guide To Becoming A Licensed Esthetician
If you’re passionate about skincare, beautification, and health, becoming an esthetician could be the perfect path for you! In this age of self-care and beauty influencers, there’s no better time than now to become a licensed esthetician. Skincare specialists are experiencing great demand, the job outlook growing by 29% which is much faster than the national average for all jobs at 7.7%. Receiving your esthetician’s license can unlock various career pathways that you would otherwise not be able to undergo, making it well worth your time.
What Do Estheticians Do?
Estheticians apply treatments and perform procedures on clients, helping them to improve the appearance and health of their skin. Hence, they hold vast amounts of expertise when it comes to skin wellness, such as complexion problems, skin therapies, and even body therapies. Before you can perform esthetician duties, however, you’ll need to go through the following processes of becoming a licensed esthetician:
- Undergo Training
Every state in the U.S. requires estheticians to receive a license before providing any skincare services. While the licensing requirements vary from state to state, most have stringent education requirements, such as needing applicants to have at least a high school diploma and at least 1000 hours of training under a state-approved esthetics program. Such programs are offered by community colleges, cosmetology schools, and esthetician schools. Before you graduate, you undergo coursework and practical learning that prepares you sufficiently for esthetician duties such as sanitation and skin treatments.
- Apply for Licensure
Once you’ve completed your esthetician training under your program of choice, you can then apply for licensure through your state. Some states have their own state esthetician licensing exam. However, most states simply defer to the national exam issued by the National Interstate Council of State Boards of Cosmetology (NIC).
The NIC exam is split into two parts, which are a theory exam and a practical exam. The theory exam is a written test that’s further split into two parts: Scientific Concepts and Skin Care and Services. The Scientific Concepts portion tests candidates’ knowledge of different scientific concepts associated with the aesthetics industry, such as chemistry and human anatomy. On the other hand, the Skin Care and Services part of the theory exam tests the candidates’ understanding of skincare and client services, such as makeup, cosmetics, and different skin care treatments. The practical exam prompts candidates to physically demonstrate their capabilities in the nine core esthetician services, including facial makeup, eyelash enhancement, and work area preparation.
Keep Your License Active
After you’ve secured your license, you can begin offering services as a licensed esthetician. However, depending on your state, you may need to invest in continuing education to ensure your license remains active.
Career Opportunities
One of the greatest advantages of obtaining esthetician licensure is the vast number of career opportunities that become available to you, both in and out of the beauty industry. After becoming a licensed esthetician, you can go on to explore the following options:
- Salon esthetician
- Medical esthetician
- Makeup artist
- Wax specialist
- Lash stylist
- Retail (makeup, skincare)
- Beauty educator
If you’re interested in pursuing licensure as an esthetician, consider our esthetics program, backed by a content-rich curriculum and cutting-edge skincare technology.